


the thing that scares you most

by sunsetdawn20



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore
Genre: Cerberus is a good boy, Community: comment_fic, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:22:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24075118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunsetdawn20/pseuds/sunsetdawn20
Summary: Cerberus may be the hound guarding the underworld but in his heart he is like any puppy and can't resist being loved and cared for. Hades may understand that a bit too much for his own linking.Dedicated to evinganna, whose work definitely inspired this one.
Relationships: Cerberus & Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Hades/Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 75
Collections: Bite Sized Bits of Fic from 2015, Bite Sized Bits of Fic from 2020





	the thing that scares you most

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eveninganna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eveninganna/gifts).
  * Inspired by [this place is too cold for hell](https://archiveofourown.org/works/981616) by [eveninganna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eveninganna/pseuds/eveninganna). 



> Comment_fic fill, to bring some joy to the recipients. My challenge to myself: fill one prompt each day from the same day five years ago. The prompt from May 9 2015 is: 
> 
> Any fandom with dogs, any +/ any, (605): If for no other reason than to cuddle with that puppy, you have to hook up with him again.
> 
> (posting early because I feel like it)

** the thing that scares you most **

He growled at her with all three heads full of sharp teeth that first week, like any loyal pup would when his master suddenly seems distracted by things he never has before and Persephone couldn’t bring herself to hold it against Cerberus. The third head was the first to melt against the gentle touch of her soft, warm, _alive_ hands. The middle one held out longest, but after four months all three heads of Cerberus yap in excitement every time she turns up at the gate and his snake tail wags in obvious joy. And Persephone can’t help but laugh – her sunshine voice ringing through the underworld.

“You spoil it,” Hades tells her as he’s watching her take turns scratching all three heads behind the ears. His voice is caught somewhere between annoyance and reluctant softness and it makes Persephone smile to herself.

“He’s such a good boy,” she says softly, pressing her face close to the dark, tangled fur of the hellhound. The first head licks her cheek and she laughs out loud.

When she glances at Hades, his arms are crossed and his stance is rigid as if he was displeased with her, but there’s a small uncertain flicker in his eyes as he looks away from her as if caught. Persephone strokes the knotted fur of Cerberus’ back a few more times, then walks up to Hades and places a soft kiss on his cheek, feels him shiver at her touch.

“Everybody deserves a little kindness sometimes.” 

\---

In the middle of the next infernal summer in the land of the living, Hades walks down to the gates of his realm. His beast is whimpering again, all the heads resting on the ground. It lifts one of them when it hears its master coming but there is no change in its mood, no obvious joy like it used to show the girl.

Hades shakes his head. “Some guardian of the dead you are.”

He hesitates for a moment, then uncertainly places a hand on the beast’s lifted head. It pulls away at first, not quite trusting his touch, but when Hades doesn’t pull his hand away, the head eventually leans back towards it. The caress is clumsy and unsure but Cerberus stops its infernal whimpering at least. 

“She’ll be back,” Hades says quietly. “It was decided. She promised.”


End file.
